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Thoughts on McNabb, Sheldon and Bell

It's been a busy day for Eagles news. How likely is Donovan McNabb to be traded? What about Sheldon Brown? And are the Eagles done making moves at running back? Here are some thoughts.

Very busy morning with Eagles news.

The guys over at Eagletarian and Birds' Eye View have complete reports from the league meetings in Florida, where Andy Reid spoke with the media during the NFC coaches' breakfast today.

And unlike the last few months, there seems to be legitimate, new information from the Birds' head coach.

Here are some thoughts on what's going on:

* Let's start with Ashley Fox's column in today's Inquirer. Some very juicy nuggets in this one, which was published before Reid talked to the media today. Key point number one to take from this: Reid admitted the Eagles are receiving and "evaluating" offers for their quarterbacks. Key point number two: The Eagles have lowered their asking price and are likely willing to accept a second-round pick or a combination of high picks for Donovan McNabb or (per the article) Kevin Kolb. And point number three: The team has decided to pursue an aggressive plan of action.

Based on those items, it sure seems like the Eagles have decided to pull the trigger on a major deal in the next month or so, assuming a good enough offer comes along. I've maintained all along that McNabb is far more likely to get dealt than Kolb, and I'd go as far as to say I'd be very surprised if Kolb is the one traded. Last weekend, I was talking to some friends, and we went through every team, trying to come up with the ones that would potentially be interested in McNabb. The list is certainly shorter than it was a month ago, but if the Eagles are really willing to accept a second-rounder, it would stand to reason that something would get done.

* Another item that caught my attention from this morning was that Reid admitted the Eagles have received trade offers for Sheldon Brown. It was just last offseason that Brown's unhappiness with his contract was one of the team's major storylines. He was a good teammate throughout the entire 2009 season and played well before getting injured. My gut reaction is that it would seem like a bad idea to unload Brown. Given the current roster, his replacement would be Ellis Hobbs, who was sidelined the second half of last season. When Hobbs rotated in for Brown earlier in the season, he did not play at the same level as Brown. If they do deal Brown, it makes me think that cornerback would be a high priority early in the draft, if it isn't already.

* Speaking of the draft, now that Mike Bell is officially signed, will the Eagles be looking at running backs at all in April? The answer is probably no. At least not until the later rounds. The Birds had four running backs tally carries in 2009: Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Leonard Weaver and Eldra Buckley. Westbrook's gone, but Bell is here. That gives them three backs who are pretty much guaranteed to be on the roster (barring injury). That only leaves room for one more. It could be Buckley. Or it could be someone they draft, assuming that player could contribute on special teams. The team also added Martell Mallett from the CFL earlier in the offseason and fullback Dwayne Wright.

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